The stadium in Tokyo trembled under the weight of silence. Pedro Pichardo stood at the end of the triple jump runway &ndash; 32 years old, five jumps behind him and no gold medal secured.
Italy&rsquo;s Andrea Dallavalle had just taken the lead at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, forcing the 2022 champion into one last test of nerve. For a few seconds Pichardo looked still, almost fragile, until the familiar rhythm began: the sprint, the hop, the bound, the jump. He soared and landed at 17.91m, before the stadium erupted.
Pichardo jumped to his feet, arms raised like a colossus, a smug grin across his face. He roared into the night: &ldquo;Who is the best, baby? Who is the best?&rdquo; But moments later, in the quieter aftermath, he allowed himself to admit the truth: &ldquo;I was scared. But I always leave a bit for the last jump. My wife doesn&rsquo;t like it much &ndash; she tells me to give it all in the first &ndash; but I saved something for the end.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/68f397f82c4372478a705bc0.jpg" alt="Pedro Pichardo in action at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025" />
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Pedro Pichardo in action at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 (&copy; Getty Images)
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It was not just the claim of a champion, but the release of a man who has spent his life leaping over obstacles far greater than sandpits. Four years earlier, in the same stadium, he had become Olympic champion. Now, under the same lights, he was world champion once more. The distance was shorter than some of his best, but the symbolism was greater: a career still alive and an athlete still hungry, still defiant.
For Pichardo, triumph is rarely just about medals. It is about family and perseverance. Born in Santiago de Cuba, he spent his adolescence making endless train journeys to Havana to chase competitions and opportunities. His father Jorge, once an athlete himself until a knee injury ended his career, never left his side. He became more than a coach &ndash; he was a strategist, a scientist and a dreamer who believed that a new technique could push his son past human limits.
&ldquo;My father studied all the styles of jumpers &ndash; Russian, American, English &ndash; and tried to mix them all,&rdquo; Pedro recalls. &ldquo;He still has booklets with sketches, with stick men, with angles. The way I jump today is because he sat down and studied everything. Everything I achieved in sport was for him. He fought a lot for me.&rdquo;&nbsp;
That devotion has shaped Pichardo&rsquo;s entire philosophy. When he speaks about his career, it is never in isolation. The medals in Tokyo, Eugene and Paris &ndash; they are milestones, but also chapters in a father-and-son collaboration stretching back decades.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/68f398cc9a2bef2dfa84abb7.jpg" alt="World Athletics Championships Oregon22 - Day Nine" />
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Pedro Pichardo at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 (&copy; Getty Images)
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&ldquo;My father didn&rsquo;t let me stop,&rdquo; Pichardo said after the World Championships. &ldquo;Last year my mind wasn&rsquo;t very good. I wanted to retire. But he asked me to do at least this year, 2025. He has been the one keeping me strong mentally. This medal is for my father, it will stay in his house.&rdquo;
Leaving Cuba in 2017, Pichardo found not just a new passport, but a rebirth. By August 2019, he was eligible to wear the Portuguese kit in international competitions. He carried it with pride and since then, he has given Portugal not only medals but also a figure to look up to. Olympic champion in 2021, world champion in 2022, and now again in 2025 &ndash; he is one of the country&rsquo;s most decorated athletes. He does not hide what he wants his legacy to be. &ldquo;Winning a place in history &ndash; that&rsquo;s what I would like,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I want people to think of Pedro as the person who never gives up.&rdquo;
The gold medals, he insists, are not the finish line. For years, Pichardo carried in his mind the almost mythical figure of Jonathan Edwards&rsquo;s 18.29m, the world record set in 1995 and still untouched three decades later. Pichardo has brushed close &ndash; 18.08m in 2015, 18.04m in 2024 &ndash; but never gone beyond. At the height of his career, he would analyse what it would take: the perfect body, the perfect mind, the perfect conditions. That hunger has not disappeared, but time has given it a different shade. What motivates him now is not only the possibility of a record but the joy of proving, again and again, that he can endure.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/68f39a1c466d2a4dfd27e7da.jpg" alt="Pedro Pichardo celebrates his win at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25" />
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Pedro Pichardo celebrates his win at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 (&copy; Getty Images)
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And perhaps that evolution explains his other great dream, one that reaches beyond medals and distances. In quieter moments, Pichardo talks about his future role as a teacher and a mentor for Portuguese athletics.
&ldquo;I would like kids to have the opportunity to achieve what I have, or even more,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I would like to teach them what my father taught me, to see if we achieve something. I don&rsquo;t want that I finish my career and that there&rsquo;s nobody else in triple jump. Instead of five Olympic champions in Portugal, I want there to be 10 or 15, like in Cuba.&rdquo;
His legacy, then, may not be measured only in metres but in the athletes who follow him &ndash; proof that the man who once chased perfection is now preparing to share it.
Pichardo has already spoken of retirement after the Los Angeles Games in 2028. &ldquo;I had promised my mother years ago that I would end up at the Los Angeles Olympic Games,&rdquo; he explains. That would mark almost two decades at the highest level, a remarkable feat for a discipline that punishes the body as much as the triple jump does.
Yet the fire is not out. Paris 2024 brought silver, but he returned in Tokyo to prove he was still capable of gold. And when he leapt into history once more in 2025, he showed why. Because for Pichardo, the last jump is never the end. It is the chance to prove, once again, that he is the man who never gives up.
Ainhoa Serrano for World Athletics Produced as part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/media-academy-new-talent-journalism-photography-commentary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Media Academy</a> project
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World Athletics Championships, Tokyo 2025

The stadium in Tokyo trembled under the weight of silence

Pichardo: the champion who saves the best for last

August of this year marked a full decade since a Jamaican athlete had won the men&rsquo;s 100m title at the World Athletics Championships.
The Caribbean island may be a tiny nation in terms of land mass and population, but they&rsquo;re a powerhouse in the sprinting world. Sprint legend Usain Bolt won three world 100m titles between 2009 and 2015; Yohan Blake&rsquo;s gold in 2011 made it four in a row for Jamaica.
But following Bolt&rsquo;s last triumph in 2015, the four world 100m titles since then have all been won by US men.
Until this year.
Heading into the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, Jamaican duo Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville both had high hopes. Thompson had earned Olympic silver in 2024 and was the world leader. Seville, meanwhile, had narrowly missed the podium at the last two editions of the World Championships but carried strong momentum into Tokyo after winning at the Diamond League meetings in London and Lausanne.
Even Bolt himself &ndash; speaking in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m_sUbHmWNQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an exclusive World Athletics video feature</a> &ndash; said prior to the 100m final in Tokyo that both men were ready to compete for gold.
&ldquo;Last year was Kishane&rsquo;s first real test, but he&rsquo;s more ready this year,&rdquo; said Bolt. &ldquo;Oblique has been in so many finals and just missed out on medals. Mentally, he&rsquo;s ready.&rdquo;
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7m_sUbHmWNQ" width="100%" height="475" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
The video feature follows the Jamaican duo through the rounds of the 100m in Tokyo. Seville was somewhat taken by surprise when his 9.93 run in the first round was only good enough for third place. He responded with a 9.86 victory in the semifinals to book his place in the final.
Thompson, meanwhile, won his heat in 9.95 and then tied with USA&rsquo;s Kenny Bednarek in the semifinals, both clocking 9.85.
&ldquo;Everyone knows my story of being held back because of injury,&rdquo; says Thompson. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got a lot of battle experience. It allows me to know how much more capable I am.&rdquo;
In the final, though, Seville strode clear of the field to win by the relatively comfortable margin of 0.05, clocking a lifetime best of 9.77 to end the Jamaican drought.
&ldquo;I learned from my mistake last year,&rdquo; he said in reference to his performance in the Olympic final where he finished eighth. &ldquo;This year I said, &lsquo;okay, this is my year and I&rsquo;m going to take this moment, and no one is going to take it away from me&rsquo;.&rdquo;
He was right.
Interview and video production by Marta Gorczyńska for World Athletics

Heading into the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, Jamaican duo Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville both had high hopes

Jamaica to the world – Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson

After dominating the 2025 sprint season, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden embarked on her World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 journey with three golden goals in mind.&nbsp;
The US 24-year-old secured titles in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m, etching her name in history.
&ldquo;Coming off of Paris last year, I was very content and happy with how my season went because I had overcome so much to be able to still make the Olympic team and medal, as well,&rdquo; reflects Jefferson-Wooden, the Olympic 100m bronze medallist, in an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aOjf3inFSQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exclusive World Athletics video feature</a>.
&ldquo;Coming into 2025, my husband and I went on a weekend getaway. He asked me: &lsquo;Are you okay? Are you ready for this year? What do you want out of this year?&rsquo;
&ldquo;We got a book &ndash; it&rsquo;s our guide to the world, in a sense. He said: &lsquo;Whatever you&rsquo;re feeling, whatever you want to accomplish and achieve, put it in this book, and then one day we&rsquo;re going to be able to go back and look at it and see how far we have come.&rsquo;
&ldquo;And now, I&rsquo;m sitting here today as a three-time world champion.&rdquo;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3aOjf3inFSQ?si=WdzDI8GPeirEZ9Si" width="100%" height="475" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
The 19-minute video feature follows Jefferson-Wooden&rsquo;s journey in Tokyo &ndash; sharing the story of her triumphs on the track and joining her behind the scenes in the call room, in training and in preparation.
After winning the 100m title in Tokyo in a championship record of 10.61 &ndash; making her the fourth-fastest women&rsquo;s sprinter in history &ndash; Jefferson-Wooden completed the sprint double by winning the 200m in 21.68 five days later. She then added a third gold medal to her haul by forming part of the victorious US 4x100m team on the final day of the championships.
&ldquo;At the beginning of the year, I told my coaches that I wanted to take the 200m more seriously,&rdquo; says Jefferson-Wooden. &ldquo;They both kind of looked at each other, like: &lsquo;Did y&rsquo;all hear what she just said? Is she serious?&rsquo;
&ldquo;It went from: &lsquo;I think I can make the team&rsquo; to &lsquo;I think I can win US Trials&rsquo;. And it went from: &lsquo;I think I can win US Trials&rsquo; to &lsquo;I think I can medal at the World Champs&rsquo; and then &lsquo;I think I can win the whole thing&rsquo;.&rdquo;
Family members &ndash; including her parents Johanna and Melvin &ndash; were there to witness it all.
&ldquo;To have my family waiting at the finish line, that meant the world to me,&rdquo; says&nbsp;Jefferson-Wooden. &ldquo;They are so proud of me. For them to be able to come all the way to Tokyo and celebrate with me and be in the moment with me, just meant a lot. They sacrificed so much for me, and I feel like it&rsquo;s only right that I go out there and perform and be the best Melissa that I can be, so I can make them proud.&rdquo;
Turns out, being the best Melissa she could be meant becoming a triple world champion.
&ldquo;I felt blessed, because I was there to witness it,&rdquo; says her father. &ldquo;In 2018, I had a bone marrow transplant and she was my donor. That allowed me to be alive to witness the whole thing.&rdquo;
The significance was not lost on Jefferson-Wooden. &ldquo;If I have an opportunity to help someone, do it. That&rsquo;s what life is about,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;If you&rsquo;re in positions where you can help someone along the way &ndash; that means much more to me that anything that I decide to do on the track.
&ldquo;When I think of little me, like how would she feel, I think she would be over the moon. She would have no regrets, no doubts, no nothing.&rdquo;
Interview and video production by Marta Gorczyńska for World Athletics
&nbsp;

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden etched her name in sprinting history by becoming a treble gold medallist in Tokyo

The triple crown - Melissa Jefferson-Wooden

A six-strong Athlete Refugee Team (ART) competed at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, concluding the team's fifth straight appearance at these global championships where they represented a community of more than 120 million displaced persons from around the world.
Omar Hassan and Emmanuel Ntagunga kicked things off for the ART in men&rsquo;s marathon on Monday (15). Running in brutally hot and humid conditions, Ntagunga finished 39th in 2:19:11 and Hassan 41st in 2:19:47. Hassan finished 40th at the World Championships two years ago while Ntagunga represented ART for the first time.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/68d29b67630f7b9cfbe2e123.JPG" alt="Emmanuel Ntagunga in the marathon at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25" />
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Emmanuel Ntagunga in the marathon at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 (&copy; World Athletics <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,CiAgICA8c3ZnIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyIgd2lkdGg9IjE2IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjE2IiB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNDgwIDM2MCI+CiAgICAgIDxnIHRyYW5zZm9ybT0idHJhbnNsYXRlKDAsMzYwKSBzY2FsZSgwLjEsLTAuMSkiIGZpbGw9IiNCMkIyQjIiPgogICAgICAgIDxwYXRoIGQ9Ik0xOTA1IDMxODIgYy0xMjYgLTQ0IC0xODcgLTEwMCAtMjUzIC0yMzMgbC00NyAtOTQgLTM1MCAtNSBjLTMyNiAtNQogICAgICAgIC0zNTQgLTYgLTQwMSAtMjYgLTE0NyAtNjAgLTI0NiAtMTgwIC0yNzQgLTMzMSAtMTQgLTc2IC0xNCAtMTY1OSAwIC0xNzM0IDMxCiAgICAgICAgLTE2NyAxNzMgLTMxMyAzMzggLTM0OCAzNyAtOCA0NzYgLTExIDE0OTAgLTExIDE1NDMgMCAxNDgwIC0yIDE1ODggNTAgMTA0IDUxCiAgICAgICAgMjAwIDE4MSAyMjQgMzA1IDggNDMgMTAgMzAwIDggOTEwIGwtMyA4NTAgLTIzIDU2IGMtNDcgMTEyIC0xNDEgMjA2IC0yNTIgMjUyCiAgICAgICAgLTUyIDIxIC03MiAyMiAtNDA1IDI3IGwtMzUwIDUgLTQ2IDk1IGMtNTQgMTEyIC0xMDYgMTY2IC0yMDcgMjEzIGwtNjcgMzIKICAgICAgICAtNDYwIDIgYy00MTYgMyAtNDY1IDEgLTUxMCAtMTV6IG05NzIgLTIzNyBjMTggLTEzIDUyIC02OCA5MyAtMTUwIDQyIC04MyA3NQogICAgICAgIC0xMzcgOTMgLTE1MCAyNyAtMTkgNDcgLTIwIDQxNSAtMjUgNDM4IC02IDQyNyAtNCA0ODcgLTg5IGwzMCAtNDMgMyAtODM2IGMyCiAgICAgICAgLTYxMCAwIC04NDggLTggLTg3NiAtMTcgLTU2IC01NCAtMTAyIC0xMDQgLTEyNSAtNDIgLTIxIC01MSAtMjEgLTE0ODggLTIxCiAgICAgICAgbC0xNDQ1IDAgLTQ0IDIzIGMtMjkgMTYgLTU0IDQwIC03NCA3MiBsLTMwIDQ4IDAgODUxIGMwIDg0NCAwIDg1MSAyMSA4OTEgMTEKICAgICAgICAyMiA0MCA1NCA2MyA3MCBsNDMgMzAgMzg4IDUgYzM2OSA1IDM5MCA2IDQxNyAyNSAxOCAxMyA1MCA2NCA4OCAxNDEgMzMgNjcgNjcKICAgICAgICAxMjkgNzUgMTM5IDM2IDQzIDUzIDQ1IDUxMiA0MiA0MjIgLTIgNDM4IC0zIDQ2NSAtMjJ6Ii8+CiAgICAgICAgPHBhdGggZD0iTTIzMDAgMjQ1MSBjLTM4MiAtNTQgLTY3MSAtMzYzIC02OTcgLTc0NiAtMjEgLTMxOCAxNjEgLTYyNyA0NTIKICAgICAgICAtNzY2IDEyNiAtNjAgMTg5IC03NCAzNTAgLTc0IDExOSAwIDE1MSA0IDIxNSAyMyAyNzYgODcgNDgwIDI5NiA1NTYgNTcyIDI1CiAgICAgICAgOTAgMjYgMjk5IDEgMzkwIC03OCAyODggLTMwMCA1MDkgLTU4OSA1ODQgLTcxIDE4IC0yMTYgMjcgLTI4OCAxN3ogbTI3MCAtMjQ5CiAgICAgICAgYzE5NyAtNjggMzM0IC0yMTQgMzg1IC00MDcgNzQgLTI4NyAtMTA0IC01OTkgLTM5MCAtNjg0IC0xMDEgLTMwIC0yNjcgLTI3CiAgICAgICAgLTM2MCA3IC0xNzQgNjQgLTMyNyAyNDAgLTM2NCA0MjAgLTYyIDMwNSAxMzUgNjA4IDQzOSA2NzcgODIgMTkgMjE1IDEyIDI5MAogICAgICAgIC0xM3oiLz4KICAgICAgPC9nPgogICAgPC9zdmc+CiAgICA=" alt="photographer icon" /> Dan Vernon)
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Hassan, who fled his native Ethiopia and is now based in Denmark, has a 2:12:29 career best set in 2022. Ntagunga, a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has a 2:17:48 personal best set this year in Copenhagen. He is based in Norway.
Perina Lokure Nakang and Musa Suliman, both 2024 Olympians as part of the IOC&rsquo;s Olympic Refugee Team, competed in the 800m in Tokyo. Suliman, at 21 the youngest member of the team, clocked a 1:48.28 season's best in Tuesday's (16) opening round heats, just 0.22 shy of his personal best set in Paris last year. Nakang, a native of South Sudan, clocked 2:10.13 in her heat on Thursday (18), a season's best. Suliman, a native of Sudan, is based in Switzerland.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/68d29b9c630f7b9cfbe2e126.jpg" alt="Musa Suliman in the 800m at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25" />
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Musa Suliman in the 800m at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 (&copy; AFP / Getty Images)
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Farida Abaroge, a 2024 Olympian in the 1500m, competed here in the 5000m, clocking 16:27.35 in her heat on Thursday (18) after recent struggles with injury. Like Hassan, Abaroge is a native of Ethiopia, and is currently based in France.
Jamal Eisa Mohammed concluded the ART&rsquo;s action on the track in the opening round of the men&rsquo;s 5000m on Friday (19) clocking 13:58.90. Mohammed, who made his first ART appearance at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships, improved his personal best in the event to 13:21.39 in June.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/68d29d23ce48569f014eee68.JPG" alt="Farida Abaroge in the 5000m at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25" />
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Farida Abaroge in the 5000m at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 (&copy; World Athletics <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="photographer icon" /> Eric Wu)
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The team wrapped up their duties on Saturday (20) with a visit to the ASICS House, the team sponsor, where they toured the Japanese Olympic Museum, participated in a matcha team ceremony tutorial, and attended a safeguarding workshop with World Athletics Senior Counsel Katherine Pitre.
They were then guests at a daily sustainability meet and greet session hosted by the WCH Tokyo 25 LOC and Tokyo Municipal Government, where they led a quiz game and signed autographs and took photos with more than 150 fans and spectators who turned out.
The team was led this year by head coach Janeth Jepkosgei, the 2007 world 800m champion, and ART manager Ralph Mouchbahani.
Bob Ramsak for World Athletics

A six-strong Athlete Refugee Team (ART) competed at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

Athlete Refugee Team shines in Tokyo on fifth World Championships appearance

<ul>
<li>Record reach for the sport&rsquo;s flagship championships</li>
<li>Most widely covered and impactful World Athletics Championships in history</li>
</ul>
A record number of nations won medals at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 from 13-21 September, during the most impactful edition of the sport&rsquo;s flagship event in history.
A total of 53 nations made it on to the medal table after nine action-packed days of competition at the 20th running of the World Championships. This surpasses the previous record of 46 that was set at Osaka 2007 and equalled at Budapest 2023.&nbsp;
One world record, nine championship records and nine area records were set or equalled, and there were a series of historic firsts, including the first ever World Championships medals for Samoa, Saint Lucia and Uruguay, and a first ever World Championships gold for Tanzania.
The world record was set by Sweden&rsquo;s Mondo Duplantis, as he improved his pole vault mark to 6.30m. As well as the historic firsts by Alex Rose (SAM), Julien Alfred (LCA), Julia Paternain (URU) and Alphonce Felix Simbu (TAN), other highlights include:&nbsp;
&bull; US sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden completing a sprint treble in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m&nbsp;
&bull; Two other athletes achieving double gold in individual events: Kenyan distance runner Beatrice Chebet and Spanish race walker Maria Perez&nbsp;
&bull; Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone winning the 400m in a championship record of 47.78 &ndash; the second-fastest time in history &ndash; to become the only athlete in World Championships history to win gold medals in the 400m (2025) and 400m hurdles (2022)&nbsp;
&bull; Ethan Katzberg winning the hammer with a championship record of 84.70m &ndash; the farthest throw in the world for 20 years&nbsp;
A total of 1992 athletes took part from 193 different countries and the Athlete Refugee Team. &nbsp;
Away from the many magnificent performances on the track, field and road, the championships achieved record reach as the most widely covered and impactful World Championships in history.&nbsp;
&ldquo;What we have seen over the past nine days here in Tokyo is an indelible and compelling celebration of human sporting endeavour,&rdquo; said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. &ldquo;Tokyo has set the stage for some of our sport&rsquo;s most extraordinary performances. &nbsp;
&ldquo;This has been a championships for the ages and we are profoundly grateful to the people of Japan for hosting our showcase championships for the third time. &nbsp;
&ldquo;Following the Olympic Games in 2021, I made a promise to the people of Tokyo that we would bring our sport back to the National Stadium as soon as we could. I am delighted that we kept our promise and that Tokyo kept its promise to fill the stadium with noisy fans.&rdquo;&nbsp;
President of the Local Organising Committee Mitsugi Ogata also reflected on the great performances &ndash; by national and international athletes &ndash; and the emotion of seeing the stadium full, four years on from a Tokyo Games devoid of crowds.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Over the past nine days, we have witnessed so many unforgettable moments,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;There was never a quiet moment in the stadium. As we said:&nbsp;'Every second, SUGOI',&nbsp;which was the slogan for this event. We delivered on that promise.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Ogata also highlighted the various initiatives that formed part of the championships programme, including those related to Kids&rsquo; Athletics and sustainability.&nbsp;
&ldquo;One of the greatest achievements of this championship, I believe, is reaching new audiences,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;
<h2>Record reach</h2>
A total of 619,288 fans attended the World Championships in Tokyo &ndash; more than the 581,462 who were there for the Tokyo 1991 World Championships &ndash; with sell out evening sessions across the week.&nbsp;
TBS saw huge TV audiences as the championships captured the nation&rsquo;s attention. There was&nbsp;a peak of more than 12 million viewers in Japan on the opening day, and audiences were well over 10 million for each evening session. The vast majority of evening sessions surpassed both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games TV audiences for athletics.&nbsp;
Audiences were also engaged around the world, and in Sweden SVT 1 saw 75% of the total Swedish TV audience tune in to their broadcast to watch Duplantis break the world pole vault record for the 14th time &ndash; the highest share ever reported for World Athletics Championships coverage in Sweden.&nbsp;
The popularity of the World Athletics website continues to grow, with around 13 million fans visiting the website across the nine days of competition. This translates into a traffic increase of 50% over the already very successful 2023 World Championships in Budapest.&nbsp;
World Athletics has continued to develop AI athlete tracking for field events covering horizontal jumps, long throws and pole vault events. More than 2000 attempts were tracked and over 14 million&nbsp;data points were collected.&nbsp;
The World Athletics social media channels have grown by&nbsp;700,000&nbsp;followers during the championships, with&nbsp;700&nbsp;million video views on these channels.&nbsp;
Over the last month, more than 125,000 news articles about the championships have been published in international media, with a potential reach of more than 180 billion.&nbsp;
Never has a World Championships had so many commercial partners, with 17 sponsors for World Athletics and 14 for the Local Organising Committee in Tokyo completing a sold-out commercial programme.&nbsp;
<h2>Ultimate Championship</h2>
As well as witnessing the sport&rsquo;s current stars making history, the championships welcomed a series of athletics legends, including Usain Bolt, the face of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest in 2026 &ndash; the next major global outdoor track and field championships after Tokyo. &nbsp;
Some 300 VIPs, athletes and media attended the Ultimate Media Party on 11 September to mark the one-year-to-go milestone to this new and unmissable championship in Budapest.&nbsp;
Twenty-six athletes at the Tokyo World Championships won their place at next year&rsquo;s Ultimate Championship, joining the 26 athletes who automatically qualified after becoming Olympic champions at last year&rsquo;s Paris 2024 Olympic Games.&nbsp;
<h3>Accredited media</h3>
A record number of more than 1500 accredited broadcast personnel from 46 broadcasters, including more than 850 from media partner TBS, as well as 860 accredited media and photographers from 79 countries, covered the championships.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>World Athletics Media Academy</h3>
New for the World Championships this year was the introduction of the World Athletics Media Academy, which saw 26 participants from 17 countries covering journalism in cooperation with AIPS, photography in collaboration with Sony, and TV commentary.&nbsp;
<h3>Sustainability</h3>
The LOC had Platinum-level achievement ambitions against the Athletics for a Better World Standard, the certification system implemented by World Athletics in 2024 that evaluates an event&rsquo;s achievement in sustainable delivery. While the audit is not yet complete, it is evident that WCH Tokyo 25 will set a high bar with numerous initiatives and awareness campaigns aimed at athletes and fans.
<h3>Medical</h3>
The Global Summit on Athletics Science &amp; Medicine had 185 registered participants from all over the world, representing teams and local universities. The LOC medical team comprised 285 medical staff members, 221 medical volunteers and 11 LOC medical staff across all venues.&nbsp;
<h3>Conferences</h3>
Seventy Member Federations committed to specific actions and targets to advance gender equity during the Gender Leadership Conference &lsquo;Lead the Track: Breaking Limits in Global Sport Leadership&rsquo;. A total of 172 participants attended.&nbsp;
Across three days, 123 Member Federations joined the series of Member Federation info sessions. The Coaches&rsquo; Club offered a two-day on-site symposium, which was attended by 150 people, plus online panel analysis on each competition day, joined by 506.&nbsp;
<h3>Kids&rsquo; Athletics</h3>
A series of initiatives were organised, focusing on the legacy of WCH Tokyo 25 for children and future generations.&nbsp;
Some 40,000 children were invited to spectate, 14,000 batons were donated to local schools and 3500 kids joined mass participation activations, behind the scenes or operational opportunities, and school visits throughout the World Championships. This included a visit by Olympic 200m champion and Kids' Athletics ambassador Letsile Tebogo.&nbsp;
<h3>MOWA</h3>
By the close of the Museum of World Athletics Heritage Exhibition Tokyo 25, the exhibits and displays will have been viewed by a total of more than 206,000 visitors since 6 July.&nbsp;
<h3>Athlete Zone</h3>
The championships also hosted an Athlete Zone, visited by more than 1400 athletes. Early reaction data indicates an average rating of 5 out of 5, with 96% giving the zone five hearts.&nbsp;
<h2>Other World Championships statistics</h2>
RECORDS&nbsp;
1 world record:&nbsp; Mondo Duplantis (SWE) men's pole vault, 6.30m&nbsp;
9 championship records:&nbsp; Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (USA) women's 100m, 10.61&nbsp; Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) women's 400m, 47.78&nbsp; Lilian Odira (KEN) women&rsquo;s 800m, 1:54.62&nbsp; Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) men's 800m, 1:41.86&nbsp; Faith Cherotich (KEN) women's 3000m steeplechase, 8:51.59&nbsp; Mondo Duplantis (SWE) men's pole vault, 6.30m&nbsp; Ethan Katzberg (CAN) men's hammer, 84.70m&nbsp; United States (USA) women&rsquo;s 4x400m, 3:16.61&nbsp; United States (USA) mixed 4x400m, 3:08.80
9 area records:&nbsp;
Africa&nbsp; South Africa (RSA) mixed 4x400m, 3:11.16&nbsp;
Europe&nbsp; Mondo Duplantis (SWE) men's pole vault, 6.30m&nbsp;
North America, Central America and Caribbean&nbsp; Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) women's 400m, 47.78&nbsp; Camryn Rogers (CAN) women&rsquo;s hammer, 80.51m&nbsp; Ethan Katzberg (CAN) men's hammer, 84.70m&nbsp; Alegna Gonzalez (MEX) women&rsquo;s 20km race walk, 1:26:06&nbsp;
Oceania Jessica Hull (AUS) women&rsquo;s 800m, 1:57.15&nbsp; Hamish Kerr (NZL) men&rsquo;s high jump, 2.36m=&nbsp;
South America&nbsp; Gianna Woodruff (PAN) women&rsquo;s 400m hurdles, 52.66&nbsp;
1 championship decathlon best:&nbsp; Leo Neugebauer (GER) decathlon discus, 56.15m&nbsp;
62 national records&nbsp; 22 world-leading performances&nbsp; 210 personal bests&nbsp;
20 countries won gold medals&nbsp; 28 countries won silver medals&nbsp; 34 countries won bronze medals&nbsp; 53 countries won medals&nbsp; 74 countries finished in top 8&nbsp;
Countries from 5 areas won gold medals: &nbsp; Africa &ndash; 10 golds from 3 countries&nbsp; Europe &ndash; 12 golds from 8 countries&nbsp; NACAC &ndash; 22 golds from 5 countries&nbsp; Oceania &ndash;&nbsp;3 golds from 2 countries&nbsp; South America &ndash; 2 golds from 2 countries&nbsp;
1992 athletes took part from 193 different countries and the Athlete Refugee Team&nbsp;(1034 male and 958 female athletes)&nbsp;
Competition performance rankings:&nbsp; 197279 Tokyo 2025&nbsp; 196796 Eugene 2022&nbsp; 196643 Budapest 2023&nbsp; 196457 Doha 2019&nbsp; 194547 Beijing 2015&nbsp; 193426 London 2017&nbsp; 192664 Moskva 2013&nbsp; 191168 Berlin 2009&nbsp; 190322 Paris-St-Denis 2003&nbsp; 190095 Osaka 2007&nbsp;
World Athletics
&nbsp;

Most widely covered and impactful World Athletics Championships in history

Record number of nations win medals at WCH Tokyo 25

The final day at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 was the epitome of the whole nine-day competition, with a championship record, a surprise victor and more winners of multiple titles at the Japan National Stadium.
Sunday (21) marked the global medal-winning start of some athletes&rsquo; careers and the end of a chapter for others.
USA&rsquo;s Melissa Jefferson-Wooden became only the second female sprinter after Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to complete the sprint treble &ndash; receiving a baton of sorts from the Jamaican sprint superstar who made her World Championships farewell in Tokyo.
After her individual 100m and 200m wins, Jefferson-Wooden formed part of the victorious US women&rsquo;s 4x100m team that took the title ahead of Jamaica, while the US men&rsquo;s quartet completed a golden 4x100m double for the nation.
USA also won the women&rsquo;s 4x400m, while Botswana pipped USA to victory in the men&rsquo;s event.
Leo Neugebauer won the decathlon after a competition of twists and turns, Daniel Stahl became a three-time discus winner, Nicola Olyslagers soared to another global gold, Cole Hocker rebounded to clinch the 5000m crown and Lilian Odira announced herself on the global stage by securing a shock 800m triumph. 
<h2>Gold again for USA in women&rsquo;s 4x100m</h2>
USA successfully defended their title in the women's 4x100m, holding off strong challenges from Jamaica, Germany and Great Britain.
Their quartet of Twanisha Terry, Kayla White, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Sha'Carri Richardson got the baton around in 41.75 to finish 0.04 ahead of Jamaica. Germany secured bronze in 41.87, finishing 0.2 ahead of Great Britain.
It meant that Jefferson-Wooden, winner of the 100m and 200m, secured her third gold medal of the championships. The race also marked a significant moment for Jamaica's multiple world and Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who earned the final medal of her career before hanging up her spikes at the end of this season.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/tokyo25/news/report/world-championships-tokyo-25-report-womens-4x100m">Full report</a>
Results: 1 United States (USA) 41.75, 2 Jamaica (JAM) 41.79, 3 Germany 41.87 
<h2>USA retains men&rsquo;s world 4x100m title</h2>
USA clinched their 10th world title in the men&rsquo;s 4x100m, clocking a world lead of 37.29 to bring track competition at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 to a close on Sunday (21).
Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek, Courtney Lindsey and Christian Coleman teamed up to claim a clear win, holding off Canada and Netherlands.
Lyles, who won the individual 200m title in Tokyo, anchored the US quartet to victory, finishing ahead of Canada&rsquo;s Andre De Grasse who secured silver for Canada in 37.55. Elvis Afrifa followed them over the finish to bag bronze in a Dutch record of 37.81.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/tokyo25/news/report/world-championships-tokyo-25-report-mens-4x100m">Full report</a>
Results: 1 United States (USA) 37.29 WL, 2 Canada (CAN) 37.55, 3 Netherlands (NED) 37.81 &nbsp;
<h2>USA breaks championship record to regain 4x400m title</h2>
The US quartet of Isabella Whittaker, Lynna Irby-Jackson, Aaliyah Butler and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone combined to break the 4x400m championship record and win their nation&rsquo;s 11th world gold medal in this event.
The team led from start to finish and eventually won by more than two seconds in 3:16.61 &ndash; individual 400m champion McLaughlin-Levrone running a 47.82 anchor leg to bring them home inside the championship record of 3:16.71 that had been set by USA in 1993.
Jamaica chased them hard and secured silver in 3:19.25, while defending champions the Netherlands clinched bronze this time in 3:20.18.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/tokyo25/news/report/world-championships-tokyo-25-report-womens-4x400m">Full report</a>
Results: 1 United States (USA) 3:16.61 CR, 2 Jamaica (JAM) 3:19.25, 3 Netherlands (NED) 3:20.18 
<h2>Botswana bags 4x400m gold</h2>
In a race that came down to an anchor leg duel between two individual one-lap champions, Botswana claimed gold in a thrilling men's 4x400m.
Rai Benjamin, the world and Olympic 400m hurdles champion, was given the baton in the lead for the US on the last leg, while world 400m champion Collen Kebinatshipi had the last leg honours for Botswana.
Benjamin maintained USA's advantage for most of the way, but in the closing stages he was caught by Kebinatshipi, who crossed the line in 2:57.76. Benjamin just about held on for silver in 2:57.83, the same time as bronze medallists South Africa.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/tokyo25/news/report/world-championships-tokyo-25-report-mens-4x400m">Full report</a>
Results: 1 Botswana (BOT) 2:57.76, 2 United States (USA) 2:57.83, 3 South Africa (RSA) 2:57.83&nbsp; 
<h2>Neugebauer clinches decathlon crown</h2>
The decathlon in Tokyo was a perfect example of how much the combined events can change from one discipline to the next.
Canada&rsquo;s 2021 Olympic champion Damian Warner, for example, withdrew just before the competition got under way. Defending champion Pierce LePage pulled out after four events. World leader Sander Skotheim was disqualified after a hurdles mishap. And long-time leader Kyle Garland was finally overtaken after eventual winner Leo Neugebauer unleashed a five-metre PB in the javelin.
Neugebauer&rsquo;s 64.34m throw in the penultimate discipline proved to be the pivotal moment. It meant the German went into the final event with a 15-point advantage over Garland, safe in the knowledge that he was a better 1500m runner than his US opponent.
He did more than enough in the final event to hold on to gold, scoring a season&rsquo;s best of 8804 to finish ahead of Puerto Rico&rsquo;s Ayden Owens-Delerme with a national record of 8784 and Garland (8703).
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/tokyo25/news/report/world-championships-tokyo-25-report-mens-decathlon">Full report</a>
Results: 1 Leo Neugebauer (GER) 8804, 2 Ayden Owens-Delerme (PUR) 8784 NR, 3 Kyle Garland (USA) 8703 
<h2>Odira times finish to perfection</h2>
Lilian Odira came through in the closing stages of the women's 800m to win gold in 1:54.62, breaking the oldest championship record.
Defending champion Mary Moraa led for the first lap with Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson tucked right behind. The two global champions started to kick with 300 metres to go, but so did Odira, who was further back in the pack.
Moraa started to fade at the top of the home straight. Hodgkinson battled for the final 100 metres, but Odira came striding around the outside and crossed the line in first place. Georgia Hunter Bell caught her British teammate just before the line, taking silver in 1:54.90 to Hodgkinson's 1:54.91.
It was a race of record depth &ndash; the first time that three women have broken 1:55 and five women have gone sub-1:56.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/tokyo25/news/report/world-championships-tokyo-25-report-womens-800m">Full report</a>
Results: 1 Lilian Odira (KEN) 1:54.62 CR, 2 Georgia Hunter Bell (GBR) 1:54.90 PB, 3 Keely Hodgkinson (GBR) 1:54.91 
<h2>Hocker turns 1500m disappointment into 5000m glory</h2>
Six days after being disqualified from the semifinals in his specialist event, Olympic 1500m champion Cole Hocker stuck gold in the 5000m at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.
The US runner sat in the pack for most of the way. Double Olympic medallist Grant Fisher and Ethiopia's Hagos Gebrhiwet led for several laps, then Jakob Ingebrigtsen took a turn at the front with less than two kilometres to go. But when the big kicks started, Hocker had the best finish.
He crossed the line in 12:58.30 to take gold ahead of Belgium's Isaac Kimeli (12:58.78) and 10,000m winner Jimmy Gressier (12:59.33).
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/tokyo25/news/report/world-championships-tokyo-25-report-mens-5000m">Full report</a>
Results: 1 Cole Hocker (USA) 12:58.30, 2 Isaac Kimeli (BEL) 12:58.78, 3 Jimmy Gressier (FRA) 12:59.33 
<h2>Olyslagers wins first world outdoor title</h2>
Australia&rsquo;s Nicola Olyslagers added world outdoor high jump gold to her two world indoor titles, clearing 2.00m to triumph in the rain at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 on Sunday (21).
The two-time Olympic silver medallist had a flawless competition up to her winning height and that paid off as she won on countback ahead of Poland&rsquo;s Maria Zodzik, who managed 2.00m for a PB on her third attempt.
That secured her the silver ahead of Ukraine&rsquo;s world record-holder and defending champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh, who shared bronze with Serbia&rsquo;s Angelina Topic as they both cleared 1.97m and couldn&rsquo;t be separated on countback.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/tokyo25/news/report/world-championships-tokyo-25-report-womens-high-jump">Full report</a>
Results: 1 Nicola Olyslagers (AUS) 2.00m, 2 Maria Zodzik (POL) 2.00m PB, 3 Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) 1.97m, 3 Angelina Topic (SRB) 1.97m 
<h2>Stahl secures world discus treble</h2>
Sweden&rsquo;s Daniel Stahl successfully defended his title to become a three-time winner of the world discus title at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 on Sunday (21).
After a dramatic rain-affected contest, his 70.47m throw in the last round saw him become the final champion of the nine-day championships at the Japan National Stadium.
He denied Lithuania&rsquo;s Mykolas Alekna a first senior global title, the world record-holder getting silver with 67.84m. There was a big first for Alex Rose, however, as the 33-year-old secured Samoa's first ever global medal in athletics with a throw of 66.96m for bronze.
The event had been subject to a big rain delay, meaning all eyes were on the circle when it resumed after all the other action had finished. Alekna had led from the second round until the fifth, but he had no response when Stahl unleashed his best from his last attempt.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/tokyo25/news/report/world-championships-tokyo-25-report-mens-discus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full report</a>
Results: 1&nbsp;Daniel Stahl (SWE)&nbsp;70.47m, 2&nbsp;Mykolas Alekna (LTU)&nbsp;67.84m, 3&nbsp;Alex Rose (SAM)&nbsp;66.96m 
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/tokyo25/medaltable" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Medal table</a>
&nbsp;

Highlights from the ninth and final day at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

Day nine round-up: thrills and spills as Tokyo action comes to a close

Sweden&rsquo;s Daniel Stahl successfully defended his title to become a three-time winner of the world discus title at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 on Sunday (21).
After a dramatic rain-affected contest, his 70.47m throw in the last round saw him become the final gold medallist of the nine-day championships at the Japan National Stadium.
He denied Lithuania&rsquo;s Mykolas Alekna a first senior global title, the world record-holder getting silver with 67.84m. There was a big first for Alex Rose, however, as the 33-year-old secured Samoa's first ever global medal in athletics with a throw of 66.96m for bronze.
The event had been subject to a big rain delay, meaning all eyes were on the circle when it resumed after all the other action had finished. Alekna had led from the second round until the fifth, but he had no response when Stahl unleashed his best from his last attempt.&nbsp;
He adds this latest title to his world gold medals from 2019 and 2023 &ndash; the latter also won with his final throw of the competition. It was also another win for him in Tokyo, four years on from his Olympic triumph.
&ldquo;This was my first rainy championships ever. I tried to focus today as much as possible, focus on not giving up and just staying positive,&rdquo; said Stahl, who danced in the rain with a blue umbrella to match his shorts while waiting to take his first throw before the break.
&ldquo;Sometimes things like this happen. There are delays, the competition takes time. I just tried to reboot my energy. Mentally, I was ready for the last throw. I prepared myself for it. This is my favourite arena of all time. It was special in 2021, and it has been special again tonight.&rdquo;
The competition originally started at 8:10pm local time, as the rain was pouring down. Alekna managed to get one valid throw in &ndash; 62.91m &ndash; but Australia&rsquo;s Matt Denny&nbsp;slipped in the circle from the next attempt of the competition and proceedings were paused.
The competition restarted a couple of hours later and Stahl opened with a big foul throw. Alekna took the lead from his next attempt &ndash; 67.84m &ndash; and that&rsquo;s where he stayed until the final round.
Denny, who sits second on the world all-time list, was in bronze medal position on 65.57m from the third round until Rose managed 66.96m from his fifth attempt to replace him on the podium. It ended up being a historic throw.
Rose fouled his final attempt and then embraced Stahl after being confirmed as the bronze medallist. Stahl bowed before entering the circle for his final attempt and let out a roar when it landed beyond the 70-metre mark.
Only Alekna stood in the way of his third world title but it wasn&rsquo;t to be for the world record-holder, who added a silver to the bronze he won in Budapest two years ago.
Denny finished fourth and Cuba&rsquo;s Mario Diaz fifth. Two more Lithuanian athletes finished in the top seven &ndash; 2017 world champion Andrius Gudzius placing sixth, one spot ahead of the other Alekna brother in the field, Martynas. Slovenia&rsquo;s 2022 world gold medallist Kristjan Ceh was eighth.
&ldquo;Having the men's discus throw as the last event of the championships, I don't think it ever happened before,&rdquo; said Mykolas Alekna. &ldquo;At first, after the competition finished, I was a little disappointed. But I know I did everything I could to fight for the gold.
&ldquo;Daniel is an amazing guy. I cannot be mad at him. He's an absolute legend and I'm really thankful for this opportunity to share the field with him. I hope the day comes when I beat Daniel at a major competition.&rdquo;
Rose described his medal win as a dream come true. &ldquo;This is one of the greatest moments of my entire life and it's been 20 years in the making,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;I was never the favourite. I did not throw 60 metres until I was out of college, I didn't make a final until I was 30 years old. I almost quit so many times. The last time I was here I failed to make the final. I fell on my face and almost quit the sport.
&ldquo;To come back here and do what I just did, there is no feeling like it. The young Pacific Island athletes, never give up. I work a full-time job and took time off to from my company to compete here.&rdquo;
Jess Whittington for World Athletics
&nbsp;

Report of the men's discus at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

Stahl secures world discus treble with his final throw in Tokyo

<h4>Women&rsquo;s high jump final</h4>
Nicola Olyslagers (AUS) makes it an Oceanian double in the high jump after Hamish Kerr won gold in the men&rsquo;s high jump
Angelina Topic (SRB) won only Serbia&rsquo;s fifth medal at the World Championships with joint bronze in the high jump some 34 years after her coach and father Dragutin made the men's high jump final in Tokyo
<h3>Women&rsquo;s 800m final</h3>
Lilian Odira (KEN) broke the longest standing record on the books with 1:54.62. Jarmila Kratochvilova&rsquo;s championship record of 1:54.68 dates back to 1983 and was one day older than her now-beaten 400m championship record of 47.99&nbsp;
For the first time in history, three women break the 1:55-barrier in the same race. Training partners Georgia Hunter-Bell and Keely Hodgkinson won silver and bronze in 1:54.90 and 1:54.91 respectively&nbsp;
Odira and Hunter-Bell move to seventh and ninth respectively on the world all-time 800m list
Odira&rsquo;s winning time was also the fastest time set on Asian soil, replacing Pamela Jelimo&rsquo;s 1:54.87 from the 2008 Olympic Games
Kenya completes a full sweep of women&rsquo;s middle and long distance titles from 800m to the marathon, including the 3000m steeplechase&nbsp;
This is the first World Championships since Paris in 2003 that Great Britain have failed to win a gold medal
<h4>Men&rsquo;s 5000m final</h4>
Cole Hocker (USA) becomes just the second American winner of the world 5000m title after Bernard Lagat won this title in 2007, also on Japanese soil in Osaka
Hocker&rsquo;s winning time of 12:58.30 was the third fastest winning time in World Championships history and the fourth time the world 5000m final has been won with a sub-13 minute performance
With bronze, Jimmy Gressier (FRA) wins France&rsquo;s first ever medal in the men&rsquo;s 5000m at the World Championships. For Isaac Kimeli (BEL) he betters Mohammed Mourhit&rsquo;s bronze from 1999 with silver
Ethiopians Biniam Mehary and Hagos Gebrhiwet fifth and 13th respectively. This is the first since Tokyo in 1991 that Ethiopia leave a World Championships without a gold medal&nbsp;
<h4>Men&rsquo;s discus final</h4>
In a heavily delayed final due to the conditions, Daniel St&aring;hl's (SWE) winning throw of 70.47m was the third longest winning throw in World Championships history
This was the second World Championships in a row that St&aring;hl has won the world title with his final throw
Alex Rose (SAM) wins Samoa's first ever medal in World Championships history with bronze
With Mykolas Alekna (LTU) winning silver, Lithuania and Samoa become the 52nd and 53rd nations to win a medal at the 2025 World Championships&nbsp;
<h4>Men&rsquo;s 4x400m final</h4>
Botswana (BOT) becomes the first African winners of the men&rsquo;s 4x400m in World Championships history&nbsp;
Botswana&rsquo;s winning margin of 0.07 was the second smallest in World Championships history. The smallest margin came back at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo when Great Britain defeated the United States by 0.04
0.07 is the smallest gap between gold and bronze in the men&rsquo;s 4x100m in World Championships history
<h4>Women&rsquo;s 4x400m final</h4>
The United States won their 11th women&rsquo;s 4x400m title in 20 editions of the World Championships&nbsp;
Their winning time of 3:16.61 was a championship record, a Japanese all-comers&rsquo; record and the fifth fastest time in history&nbsp;
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ran the fastest split of the final with 47.82 on anchor&nbsp;
<h4>Decathlon</h4>
Leo Neugebauer becomes the third German winner of the decathlon title at the World Championships after Torsten Voss (GDR) in 1987 and Niklas Kaul in 2019&nbsp;
Neugebauer&rsquo;s winning margin of 20 points over Ayden Owens-Delerme (PUR) was the smallest in the decathlon in World Championships history&nbsp;
<h4>Women&rsquo;s 4x100m final</h4>
The United States win their third women&rsquo;s 4x100m title in a row and their 10th in 20 editions of the World Championships
The United States&rsquo; winning margin of 0.04 was the third smallest in the history of the World Championships
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (USA) becomes just the second woman after Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) in 2013 to complete the sprint treble at the World Championships&nbsp;
Fraser-Pryce wins her 17th World Championships medal (10-6-1) in her farewell race after running the third leg of Jamaica&rsquo;s silver medal-winning team
<h4>Men&rsquo;s 4x100m final&nbsp;</h4>
The United States win their 10th men&rsquo;s 4x100m title in 20 editions of the World Championships but only their third since 2007
The United States&rsquo; time of 37.29 was the third fastest winning time in the men&rsquo;s 4x100m in World Championships history. It was also a Japanese all-comers&rsquo; record and stadium record, surpassing the United States&rsquo; 37.50 from Tokyo in 1991, a world record at the time
Noah Lyles wins his 10th World Championships medal (8-1-1). Only LaShawn Merritt (11) and Usain Bolt (14) have won more medals on the men&rsquo;s side&nbsp;
The Netherlands win only their second ever medal in the men&rsquo;s 4x100m in World Championships history, emulating their bronze from Paris in 2003

Facts, figures and statistics from day nine from the World Championships Tokyo 25

WCH Tokyo 25 facts and figures - day nine

The rain came down in Tokyo but nothing could wash away the shine from Nicola Olyslagers&rsquo; golden night during the final session at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.
Notebook in hand, arms raised to the sky, the Australian finally claimed the world outdoor crown that had eluded her &ndash; in the same city where she won her first Olympic medal four years ago, and where her journey at global level had begun with a &lsquo;no height&rsquo; back in 2017.
It was an evening of theatre in the National Stadium. Olyslagers, the exuberant diarist of the high jump, and Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the immaculate Olympic champion, arrived as the protagonists of a rivalry that has defined the event in recent years. By the end, they had been joined on the podium by two new names, as Poland&rsquo;s Maria Zodzik and Serbia&rsquo;s Angelina Topic both made breakthrough medals in a final repeatedly interrupted by heavy rain.
The bar told the story. At 1.97m, the field was cut in half: five women fell away, four remained. Olyslagers, Mahuchikh, Topic and Zodzik all sailed clear at the first attempt, a sign that the medals would be decided in the unforgiving territory beyond two metres.
Olyslagers struck first at 2.00m, arms raised, a broad smile and a cry of &ldquo;Come on,&rdquo; clearing the bar in her opening attempt. Mahuchikh missed her first try at 2.00m but made the tactical call to concede her remaining attempts at that height and save them for 2.02m &ndash; a gamble that left her fate hanging on the next progression. Topic, by contrast, could not jump over 2.00m and fouled all three attempts, her evening frozen at 1.97m.
Then came the downpour. After five jumps at 2.00m, officials halted the contest for half an hour. When the athletes returned, Zodzik seized her chance, clearing 2.00m on her third attempt for a lifetime best, guaranteeing a medal.
The rain forced another delay but on resumption, Olyslagers came closest to 2.02m, brushing the bar with her heels.
&ldquo;I've seen so many bars fall off just by that small amount, but when it stays on what else could you say but 'Thank you God',&rdquo; she stated afterwards with a smile.
Zodzik attacked with determination but could not improve and Mahuchikh, betting everything on this height, missed her resting attempts. As the bar fell on her final jump, Topic&rsquo;s father and coach Dragutin, ninth in Tokyo 1991, leapt behind the barriers in celebration, knowing his daughter&rsquo;s 1.97m clearance was now enough for a shared bronze &ndash; her first senior medal at just 20 years old and Serbia&rsquo;s first ever medal in the high jump at a global stage.
Zodzik&rsquo;s personal best secured silver and Mahuchikh, the Olympic champion and world record-holder, had to settle for a shared bronze with Topic, a conclusion to a season of inconsistency.
And so, it was Olyslagers who completed the circle. She too failed at 2.02m, but her flawless competition up to her winning height paid off as she won on countback. With that, she became world champion at last, adding the title to two Olympic silvers, two world indoor golds and her Diamond League crown.
&ldquo;This was just pure joy, even in the rain,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;High jump is a bit of luck but tonight was so special. I think this season I have had many hard competitions but the whole year was really great.&rdquo;
The 28-year-old, who tracks every jump in her training diary with ratings and reflections, has long spoken about authenticity, faith and joy as her fuel.
&ldquo;I realised I had to stop holding onto my goals really tightly and be spontaneous, take risks, and really move by faith and not sight. I was hoping I had faith that it would work but even if it didn&rsquo;t, I had so much fun this year.&rdquo;
For Olyslagers, Tokyo is suffused with meaning. It was here she won her first Olympic medal in 2021; it was here that earlier chapters of her career were writ and rewritten. Now, four years on, she completes a circle in the same city that first marked her on the world stage.
Ainhoa Serrano for World Athletics Produced as part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/media-academy-new-talent-journalism-photography-commentary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Media Academy</a>&nbsp;project

Report of the women's high jump at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

Olyslagers completes her Tokyo circle with first outdoor world high jump title

The World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 came to a spectacular close today, with a final day that embodied the very spirit of world-class sport. DAY 9 delivered another electrifying atmosphere inside the Japan National Stadium, as 58,723 fans filled the stands &mdash; a new WCH Tokyo 25 championships record that surpassed the previous high of 58,643 set on DAY 7. Together, they witnessed extraordinary performances, shared unforgettable moments, and celebrated the unifying power of athletics.
We are proud to confirm that by the close of the championships, the cumulative attendance across nine days was 619,288, a landmark achievement that reflects both the global appeal of athletics and the unwavering passion of the Japanese public.&nbsp;
From record-breaking achievements on the track to the roar of full stadiums night after night, WCH Tokyo 25 has embodied its motto: &ldquo;Every Second, SUGOI&rdquo;.
As the curtain on this once-in-a-lifetime event comes down, we at WCH Tokyo 25 extend our heartfelt thanks to the athletes, fans, volunteers, and partners who came together to make these Championships a truly once-in-a-lifetime event.
The official attendance figures for DAY 9, as of 21:00 on Sunday, 21 September, are as follows: Morning Session: 23,575 Evening Session: 58,723
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the athletes who gave their all, the fans whose passion ignited the stadium, the volunteers who devoted themselves so generously, and the many partners and stakeholders who supported the delivery of this event. Together, your energy and dedication made this dream stage a reality.
Thank you for nine days of incredible support!
&nbsp;

The World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 came to a spectacular close today, with a final day that embodied the very spirit of world-class sport. DAY 9 delivered another electrifying atmosphere inside the Japan National Stadium, as 58,723 fans filled the stands — a new WCH Tokyo 25 championships record that surpassed the previous high of 58,643 set on DAY 7. 

DAY9 ATTENDANCE FIGURES The curtain falls on WCH Tokyo 25 as organisers thank fans for a once-in-a-lifetime championship

It seemed apt that athletics&rsquo; biggest and brashest star in Noah Lyles should bring the curtain down on the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 with a second gold medal.
Despite a difficult season partly impacted by injury, he anchored the US quartet to the fifth quickest time in the history for the 4x100m relay.
And in the process, it took his medal tally for Tokyo to three: a bronze in the 100m, gold in the 200m - a fourth consecutive gold in that event - and another gold in the sprint relay.
For an athlete who does not lack confidence, he had already posted on social media details of the athlete after party as if knowing there would be personal cause for celebration late into the Tokyo night.
In heavy rain inside the National Stadium, all but the Australian quartet managed to get the baton around despite the dire weather conditions.
Christian Coleman got the US off to a flying start on the opening leg and, while Canada&rsquo;s Jerome Blake clawed back some of the deficit to their north American rivals on leg two, Kenny Bednarek ensured Lyles was in the lead on the home straight.
For a brief moment, Andre de Grasse hinted he could threaten an upset for Canada, only for Lyles to pull clear in a world-leading time of 37.29. His split time was only bettered by the aforementioned Blake and Dutch duo Taymir Burnet and Elvis Afrifa.
The pair&rsquo;s flying legs two and four respectively guided the Netherlands to the bronze in a national record of 37.81.
Following gold for the US four of Coleman, Bednarek, Courtney Lindsey and Lyles, it took the US to 16 gold medals in these championships - more than the next five nations combined on the medal table - and 26 medals in all. In the process, it beat the record 14 golds the team had attained in Doha in 2019.
By Lyles&rsquo; standards, it was a relatively muted start to these championships when he was upstaged in the 100m last weekend.
But he has since turned Tokyo into a happier hunting ground. Looking back at the Olympics where he won 100m gold but took bronze at his favoured distance of 200m, he admitted he had been out of sorts and depressed. Here he has been all smiles at every twist and turn.
The form hadn&rsquo;t looked electric coming in and yet he still produced the climax in front of a Japanese crowd, who cheered their home quartet to the rafters as they finished in sixth place unable to match the world bronze medals of 2017 and 2019 in the same event.
Lyles has already set his sights on Beijing in 2027 and has made no secret of his quest to upstage Usain Bolt, arguably athletics&rsquo; all-time biggest star &ldquo;to become the only man to win five 200m titles&rdquo;.
Sunday night&rsquo;s relay gold took his tally of world titles to eight, just three shy of Bolt, whose Jamaican compatriots had failed to make the relay final after a calamitous heat the previous day.
Following his golden finale to these championships, Lyles said: &ldquo;We all know we are the fastest. We just had to get the baton from start to finish. When Christian passed the baton, I knew it was a done deal. I saw the lead we had and it was kind of a relief as everybody did such a great job. I just had to finish the race. They made it easy for me. I could have not asked for a better relay.&rdquo;
Matt Majendie for World Athletics

Report of the men's 4x100m at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

USA retains men’s world 4x100m title in Tokyo

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden emulated the achievement of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in finishing the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 with three world sprint golds as she helped the United States win the women&rsquo;s 4x100m title in a rainswept final where Fraser-Pryce signed off on her illustrious career in the silver medal-winning Jamaican team.
Jefferson-Wooden, already the 100m and 200m champion, ran the opening leg for the United States in torrential conditions, and the 2023 world 100m champion Sha&rsquo;Carri Richardson completed the job as she brought the baton home in 41.75.
Barring accidents &ndash; and the tempestuous weather conditions hugely increased the chances of this &ndash; the United States were always fancied to retain their title, having earned Olympic gold in the interim.
There was no hesitation from a quartet also featuring Twanisha Terry and Kayla White as they delivered another gold to the United States&rsquo; record World Championships total of 16.
But the wider world of athletics was eager to see the 38-year-old Fraser-Pryce finish her career by taking a final World Championship medal 18 years after collecting her first &ndash; also women&rsquo;s 4x100m silver &ndash; at the 2007 Osaka edition.
This she did in characteristically brilliant fashion as she clocked 11.32 for her opening leg &ndash; 0.06 faster than the time recorded by the double individual champion.
This was the ebullient Jamaican athlete&rsquo;s 17th world medal, 10 of which have been gold &ndash; including 100m titles in 2009, 2013, 2015, 2019 and 2022. She leaves the sport, additionally, with eight Olympic medals including the 2008 and 2012 100m titles.
It was at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow where, somewhat reluctantly, she was persuaded to enter the 200m as well as her more familiar 100m and 4x100m events &ndash; and won gold at all three.
Twins Tia and Tina Clayton kept the momentum going before Jonielle Smith&rsquo;s anchor leg saw the team through in 41.79, with bronze going to the fast-finishing German quartet in 41.87.
A Great Britain team including the individual 200m silver medallist Amy Hunt and led off by an 11.27 clocking by Dina Asher-Smith looked ready to maintain its medal-winning tradition, but a poor final hand-over between Desiree Henry and Daryll Neita resulted in fourth place in a time of 42.07.
Spain were fifth in 42.47, ahead of France in 42.81, with Canada taking seventh place in 42.82. Poland were disqualified for passing the baton outside the takeover zone.
Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics

Report of the women's 4x100m at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

Jefferson-Wooden claims third gold with USA's victory in women's 4x100m in Tokyo

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